


Tongue-Tied

by SociallyAwkwardFox



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Awkward Flirting, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Near Death, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-22 16:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22285816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SociallyAwkwardFox/pseuds/SociallyAwkwardFox
Summary: Five times Fjord failed at flirting with Caleb and one time it all worked out.
Relationships: Fjord/Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett
Comments: 6
Kudos: 203





	Tongue-Tied

**Author's Note:**

> I'm only on episode 41 of the Mighty Nein campaign and I love these two dorks so much I constantly want to write them!

**1.**

While he couldn't pinpoint when it began, it was easy to remember the moment he realized what had been right under his nose for months. Why his eyes always drifted to find Caleb whether they were safe or in danger, the sweat that built on his palms when Caleb gave him his undivided attention, a slight uptick in his heartbeat during private moments between the two of them. From the moment he first witnessed Caleb's magic, he'd been in awe of the unassuming human hiding beneath of layer of dirt and a ragged coat. His admiration for the man only grew as they got to know each other better, until his feelings grew to include a romantic element.

As he caught sight of Caleb sitting by the tavern fireplace deeply engrossed in his newest addition to his library, a found smile curling up the corners of his lips. After making a stop at the bar to grab two ales, he weaved his way through the clutter of tables to take a seat next to the wizard. Without saying a word, Fjord set one of the drinks on the small table between the two chairs, then settled back to watch the crackling fire. The gentle flicker of the flames slowly lolled him into a relax state that caused his eye lids to grow heavy.

"Fjord?"

To make it less obvious he nearly spilled his drink all over himself, Fjord straightened up in the chair and gave Caleb his full attention. "Yeah, do you need something?"

"No. You are more than welcome to retire to your room for the evening. There's no need to wait up with me."

"I'm, uh, comfortable right here. So, if you don't mind the company, I plan to stay down here a little longer."

"Company might do me some good right now." The Caleb's book switched places with the ale on the table, then he leaned back to look at Fjord with his intelligent eyes. "Is there something on your mind? You've been quiet since the fight."

"Nothing in particular. It was a tough one. I'm just tired."

"If you need someone to talk to, I am willing. You do not need to pretend like everything is fine all of the time."

"I could say the same to you."

A huff of laughter slipped from Caleb's lips that he hid in his drink when he took a long pull from it. "That is fair. We make quite the pair."

"Uh, yeah. I guess we do. Make quite the pair that is. I've actually been thinking about that a bit. I, uh, had some ideas."

"About?"

"Us. We make a good pair and that's important for a lot of things. You know what I mean?"

"I am following, yes."

"It's, um..." To prevent more stutters from fumbling off his lips, Fjord downed the reminder of his drink. "I think I'm more tired than I originally thought. I can hardly string a sentence together. Apologies for wasting your time. I think I'll head up to bed."

Before he could get far, a tentative hand settled atop his on the arm of the chair causing him to immediately stop. "Are you sure there's nothing on your mind?"

"It's just the exhaustion. I'll be fine in the morning. Make sure you don't stay up all night reading that book. Beau and Nott will have a fit if you do."

"Nott has already threatened to drag me up there herself if it gets to be an indecent hour. You do not have to worry about me. Get some rest, Fjord."

"Have a pleasant evening, Caleb."

After returning his empty mug to the counter, Fjord hurried up the stair to his room for the evening. Once the door shut firmly behind it, he let his head fall back against the wood with a heavy thunk. An amused chuckle nearly sent him into a puddle of goo on the floor, but he kept his composure enough to brace himself for his rooming companion. Mischievous red eyes were focused on him with too knowing a look for comfort.

"Bad night?"

"No."

"Would you like me to do a reading for you? It might help with some of your confidence issues. It could help you get out a full sentence the next time you try."

While he wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and never come out, Fjord settled for dropping onto his bed in defeat. "You know where you can shove your cards, Molly?"

"Somewhere unpleasant I'm sure. I don't see why. I'm only offering to help."

"That's a load of horse shit and we both know it. How about you mind your own business and let me wallow in shame?"

"Meddling is what I do. In my travels, I found that sometimes people need a little push to get them moving in the right direction."

"I don't think a little push is going to do it." Fjord rubbed at his eyes with a groan, then went completely lax on the bed. "Next time, I just need to not think so much about what I'm saying. Maybe then I won't sound like a gigantic idiot."

"Well, just look at the bright side."

"Which is?"

"Caleb knows you're not a gigantic idiot, which mean you still have a shot at swiping him off his feet or whatever it is you want to do with him."

"Please don't say it like that."

"Why?"

A quick glare at the smirking tiefling sent a wave of annoyance running through him. "I'm going to sleep now."

"That's fine. We can discuss this further in the morning. Sleep will give you the perfect opportunity to work through what happened before we converse."

"Shut up, Molly."

"Fine, but only because you asked so nicely." The sound of shifting on the bed across from his filled the silence in the room, until the tiefling got settled. "Try not to let what happened keep you up too long. I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

"Fuck off."

* * *

**2.**

While he tried his best not to, his eyes kept wandering over to where Caleb leaned against a rotting log. The bags under his eyes spoke of exhaustion and pain from the wound that sent him tumbling off the edge of a cliff in their latest battle. The mere thought of it brought back the awful moment Fjord watched him slip over the edge sending sheer terror flooding through him. When Jester pulled him up, the terror shifted to fear, until Cad's magic brought life back to his limp body. After the battle he wanted nothing more than to pull him into a tight hug, Fjord settled for patting his shoulder.

With a shake of his head, he sent the thoughts from his mind by distracting himself with putting dinner together. He went so far as to dish everyone out a plate and delivering it to them before finally settling down with his own plate and nothing to distract him. Keeping his eyes focused on his plate of food only worked for the first few moments of dinner while the rest were too busy eating to say anything. Once the flow of conversation started, the demand for him to engage with them meant he needed to look up.

The first time his eyes unnecessarily drifted over to Caleb he nearly snapped his head away on instinct when they meet Caleb's. He played it off with a quick smile that Caleb struggled to return, so he gave a little pat encouraging Fjord to sit next to him instead. As he rose from his spot to move next to Caleb, the thought of Molly's knowing smirk popped into his mind. The tiefling would've had something snarky to say about it as he passed by to cause Fjord's nerves to spike.

He gave a little shake of his head as he sat down to clear the thought away the best he could without drawing attention to himself. "Hey, did you need some more food?"

Caleb rolled his eyes, then looked pointedly down at the food still on his plate. "I think you gave me more than enough food but thank you for offering."

"Would it be better if I asked how you're feeling?"

"We both know the answer to that question."

"Well then, what did you want to talk about?"

"You were staring very hard at your dinner earlier. I didn't think it was that bad this time."

"Hey, I'll have you know that people love my food." The look of amusement dancing in Caleb's eyes had Fjord smacking him playfully on the arm in annoyance. "Don't look at me like that! I can cook decent food. I'm not like Beau."

"Mmm, that could be up for debate. You are both rather abysmal in the cooking department."

"Listen, I spent a lot of time on a ship eating rations or food done by the ship cook. I'm doing my best here."

"If you asked nicely, I might be able to teach you a few things that could help."

"Really? I didn't think you enjoyed cooking."

A light shrug brushed Caleb's upper arm against Fjord's as it moved through the small space separating them. "It's not my favorite thing, but I'm willing to give you some advice if you would like."

"Maybe the next time we have a few days off, I'll take you up on that offer."

"That would probably be for the best."

"It will be for the best since spending so much time with Beau when we're on a break is turning you into more of an asshole."

"Don't let Beau hear you saying that."

"I'm not afraid of Beau." When Caleb raised an eyebrow at him, Fjord's eyes flickered over to Beau for a moment to see her glaring at him. "How did she know?"

"She's been staring at me since we settled down for the night."

"Is that why you asked me to join you?"

"I may have thought you'd be able to block her view of me, but you're doing a terrible job of that so far."

"She's just concerned about you. We thought we lost you for a while there."

The slight slump to Caleb shoulders curled his body down like he was trying to become smaller to keep people from noticing him. "There is no reason for her concern. I am fine."

"You are now, but it's hard to get the memory out of your head. I'm sure things will go back to normal in a few days when you've kicked ass in a couple battles. We both know you have plenty of tricks up your sleeve to keep it from happening again."

"It is not as though I did it on purpose. I would never want to put any of your through that, especially Nott." Caleb's eyes drifted over to the goblin sitting in front of Yasha sorting through a pile of flowers she collected while the barbarian was gone. "She does not need that weight on her shoulders."

"Just stick to doing what you do best and it won't happen next time."

"What is it I do best?"

The carefully blank expression on Caleb's face caused his heart to beat a little faster and a steady heat to rise under his skin. "Well, uh, everyone knows your magic is impressive and you could take down much more powerful enemies than most us us could, but you're a bit... on the squishy side. Not that you're the only one with that problem. I've gone down a few times because I'm not the heartiest of people and I decided to get too close to the action. I'm just saying it might be better for you to stick closer to the back like you normally do."

"If someone is in danger, I am not going to sit around in the back waiting for someone else to do something. I will do what I have to do when the situation arises. I do not need you to tell me what I should be doing. I am well aware of my short comings."

"That's not what I was trying to say."

"Whatever you were trying to say, you did a very poor job of it." With a slight sway, Caleb rose from the ground and glared down at Fjord. "It would be best if I went to bed now. I am exhausted from getting out of my depth. Have a good night, Fjord."

As Caleb walked away, he dropped his head into his hands with a groan. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"No need for that. Here, take some tea." When he pulled his face out of his hands, a cup immediately pressed into his palms so Cad could take a seat next to him. "There we go. I might still be new to the group, but I know a little something about this. People try to say things all the time that end up getting twisted on the way out, which causes a lot of negative feelings all around. Give him some time to work through those emotions, then talk to him again in the morning. The two of you will be able to work through this."

"Thanks, Cad, for the advice and the tea."

"You're welcome. I'm always happy to help."

* * *

**3.**

A few well-timed smiles and a wink was all it took to get them in a building they had no reason being in. The only reason they found themselves tricking their way inside was a shady tip for their latest job for the Gentleman. Fjord didn't even know what they should be looking for, so he let Caleb take the lead once they stepped through the door. He walked confidently through the twisting hallways, until he paused in front of a heavy oak door with his head tipped to the side.

"There is a strong magical aura coming from behind that door. I cannot be certain that is what we're looking for, but it is likely worth checking."

"Are there any traps we need to worry about?"

"Nothing magical that I can sense. Nott, could you check?"

While the goblin took a moment to inspect the door, Fjord leaned over to Caleb so the others wouldn't be able to hear him. "It's pretty impressive how you always manage to do that."

"Probably best to wait until we know what's behind the door before you say that."

"Whatever's behind the door, it's still impressive you managed to get us here with how big this place is. There must be all kinds of magical energy in this place, so it's incredible you found us to this spot."

"It's just a spell." Caleb tipped his head to the side as he narrowed his eyes at Fjord looking for something he wasn't saying. "I could teach it to you if you would like to do it for yourself."

"That's mighty kind of you, but I haven't even taken you up on the offer to learn how to cook. I wouldn't want to take up more of your time. I just wanted to let you know how impressive it is that you can do this."

"You could learn how to do it as well. It would take a little practice, but you are more than capable of performing the spell. Teaching it to you would not take long."

"That's really not necessary. I just wanted you to know that it's impressive, and I appreciate everything you do for the group. I'm sure the rest of the group feels the same way. You're a valuable member of this group."

A wave of confusion flicked across Caleb's face causing his eyebrows to wrinkle up and his lips tipped downward. "Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome. There's a lot that you do that doesn't get the credit deserved. It's the least I could do."

"I-"

The soft click of the lock getting pick distracted Caleb from whatever he'd been about to say as his head turned to give Nott his attention. After ushering Caleb through the door, Nott sent Fjord a look that sent a blush coloring his cheeks. Several of the others hurried past him into the room earning him a sharp elbow to the side from Beau that urged him forward. He did his best to ignore the goblin still holding open the door, which meant he missed the kick the slammed against his shins.

Once the door shut behind them, he turned to Nott and dipped down to her height with a finger pointed at her. A snarl turned up the corner of her lips as she smacked his figure out of her face to step into Fjord's space. The point of a dagger digging into his thigh sent a low growl through him that did nothing to ward Nott off him. Her snarl only grew with the digging of the dagger in his thigh and the growing fury in her eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"What was that?"

"What?"

The dagger dug in a little deeper nearly breathing through the material to the skin beneath it. "Do you think that's going to work? Caleb isn't one of those idiots that you can use your sailor charm on to get them to do whatever you want. He's a smart boy. He's not going to fall for that."

"I'm not... That's not what I was trying to do."

"Don't lie to me. I know attempted flirting when I see it. I'm not an idiot. He might not realize what you've been doing, but I noticed. Back off or I'll make you."

"Now doesn't seem like the time to talk about this." A glance at the group gave him a glimpse of Jester's wiggling eyebrows and Beau's slightly amused expression. "How about we discuss this later?"

"There's nothing else to discuss. Leave Caleb alone."

"I don't think that's your decision to make. If Caleb isn't interested, then I'll back off. The last thing I want to do is put him in an uncomfortable position because of my feelings, but that's not your decision to make for him."

"Fine. Keep failing to flirt with him, but the moment you do anything that hurts him I'll put a bolt through your eye before you even know what's happening."

"I expect you to keep that promise."

"Good because I won't hesitate."

"Can we please do what we came here to do now?"

After one last glare, she pulled the dagger away from his leg and took a step back from him. "This is the only time I'm going to do this, so listen very carefully. Next time pick a more appropriate time to flirt with him and be direct. Don't beat around the bush."

"Uh, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, make yourself useful."

While Nott walked away from him, Fjord took a moment to take several calming breaths before returning to the group. A knowing smirk from Beau would've had him leaping across the space at her if what they were looking for wasn't held in Caleb's hands. Fjord settled for sticking his tongue out at her, then put on a stern expression as he focused on the item. When Caleb handed it over to him with a questioning look, it took all his self-restraint not to shudder at the unexpected brush of their fingers.

"Thoughts?"

"This definitely looks like what they told us. We should get out of here."

"Agreed. Lead the way."

* * *

**4.**

The creak of the door opening behind him didn't draw his attention away from the swirling purples and twinkling lights in the night sky above him. A shadow passed over him, then something soft settled around his bare shoulders providing some protection from the chill of winter. After making sure the blanket was secure around him, someone took a seat next to him on the steps with their side pressed against his. Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of red hair told him the Caleb decided to brave the cold to join him.

"If you're looking for company, you're in the wrong place. I'm not in the mood to talk about what happened or anything else really."

"That's fine. I offered to come out here so you wouldn't have to if you didn't want to. Beau suggested we tie you down, until you talked. I thought you might not take that well."

Despite his sour mood, a chuckle rumbled out of his chest at the thought of Beau suggesting that with angry concern written all over her face. "Like most things, you're right about that. I'm guessing they're all piled around one of the windows watching us."

"I told them not to, which means they probably are. As long as we stay out here long enough they think we've had a deep conversation, they shouldn't bother us."

"So, we'll be out here all night."

"Beau doesn't have enough patience to watch us all night. She'll eventually get bored and Jester will go with her. Once we wait that out, we should be good to do whatever we like." A slight shiver against his side was followed by Caleb moving closer to him with his knees angled toward Fjord to bring them closer together. "Honestly, I thought you might go somewhere else to clear you mind. I'm a little surprised that you only went this far."

"I thought about it, but I didn't want to cause any of you to worry because I needed time to think."

"Have you had enough time to think?"

His heavy sigh caused the blanket to slip slightly around his shoulders, but he paid it no mind. "No idea. There's a lot to think about and whenever I think I've put all the pieces together, something else pops up that I hadn't concerned."

"I know you said you don't want to talk about it, but I might be able to help you work through it. I have some idea of what you're going through."

"But your magic comes from learning. You can make it whatever you want it to be. Mine comes from some fucked up entity that I made some pact with that I don't even remember. How do you know you can trust me? I might have agreed to do something terrible in exchange for these powers I don't even completely understand."

"Maybe you did." The calm tone of Caleb's voice drew his eyes away from the sky to find those familiar blue eyes watching him carefully. "We don't know about your past, but I do know what kind of man you are now. There's a reason I'm willing to follow your lead into any situation. I trust you to have my back. You're a good man, Fjord."

"It doesn't feel like it."

"You are a good man. We've done some shitty things as a group, including you, but at the heart of it, you're a good man. You try your best to do what you think is right. It's alright to be questioning what's happened to you, just know that we stand behind you no matter what decisions you make. If you want our help breaking the pact you made, we'll do it. If you want to figure out another way, we'll do that to. It's all up to you."

"I don't know what the best option is."

"It's not always about the best option. We rarely know what the best option is. Figure out what you want to do, and we'll make it work. Your magic can be your own if you decide to take it as your own."

After taking time to examine Caleb for any sign of lying, some of the tension released from his shoulders allowing him to relax for the first time in hours. "Before whatever happened when I drowned, I didn't show any sign of magic. I was like all the other sailors just trying to make a living. I'm not the studious type like you. I don't think I'd be able to do magic the way you do. Everything I've experience has been like muscle memory. It's like I've always known how to do these things. I can't explain it."

"Being a wizard isn't for everyone, but that doesn't mean you're out of options. There are plenty of ways people utilize magic. The magic you've wielded has come from some other entity, and there are many entities that have the ability to give you magic. The solution might be closer than you think."

"What do you think I should do?"

"As much as I would love to tell you, I think this is a decision you need to arrive at on your own. There are many paths that you can take but figuring out the best is going to take a lot of thought and I'll know you'll get there. If you have doubts along the way or need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you."

"I'm not sure your faith in me is warranted, but you've given me a lot to think about."

"Good, that's very good."

They fell into peaceful silence with their sides still pressed tight together to keep each other warm. After several long minutes of this, a little weight settled gently on Fjord's shoulder that nearly caused him to jump in surprise. He didn't need to check to know that on his shoulder was Caleb's head tucked close enough that he could feel some of his hair brushing against the side of his neck.

"Uh, there's something else I've been meaning to talk to you about, but I haven't had the courage to speak plainly. I don't want you to think I'm doing this because of what's happened. It's something that's been on my mind for a while. You're an incredible person, Cay. The more I've gotten to know you, the more I've felt myself drawn to you. For a while, I've had strong feelings for you, and I'd be honored if you'd give me the opportunity to earn your affections." Silence continued for so long he started to shift away, only to stop when a soft snore came from the man leaning against him. "Son of bitch, of course."

* * *

**5.**

Even though he knew he should feel pain, a strange numbness fell over him as he stumbled to his knees with a heavy thud. His vision swam from the sudden drop, nearly causing him to vomit from the nauseating swirl of colors. When his world finally cleared once more, the sound of his blood rushing in his ears accompanied his view of the splatter of his own blood across the ground. Instinctively, Fjord pressed his palm against the gaping wound across his chest, then pulled it away to see the green replaced by red.

When he brought his hand back to it once more, the pain finally struck him so hard he almost tipped over to his side. He could feel the slash cutting him from one shoulder diagonally down to his hip right through his armor. The attempt to drop his chin down to look at the cut sent a wave of wooziness through him from the blood loss. As carefully as possible, he reached his free hand out to catch himself as he leaned forward to stare down at the grass.

His breathing picked up while the blood slipped easily through the fingers splayed across his chest. No matter how tightly he pressed to his chest, the blood wouldn't stop flowing out of him to stain the grass below. A spottiness began to appear in his vision that gradually grew until black completely obscured the world. Trembling started in his arms, until the one holding him up could no longer support the weight of his body.

The ground felt cold against his cheek and stung the open wound, but he didn't have the strength to roll over onto his back. He could do nothing more than blink the darkness away to bring back a blurry world. The sound of fighting around him gave him more of an idea of what was happening than his useless eyesight. A mixture of his friend's voices shouted to each other and the screams of the creatures they were fighting filled the air.

Everything disappeared for a while as he almost lost consciousness, only to come to when he felt his body rolled onto his back. "Fjord? Fjord!"

"Uh," With some struggle, he forced his eyes open to identify the person swimming above him. "Caleb?"

"Yes, it's me. Hold on a little longer. Cad and Jester will be here soon to help you. Can you do that for me?"

"Caleb."

A pair of hands joined his against his chest to press firmly down on the wound, but he knew it didn't do enough to keep it from bleeding. "Fjord, you are going to hold on until Cad and Jester get here. Do you understand me?"

"Lost a lot of blood."

"I can see that, but they'll be able to heal you. How about you talk to me while we wait? Can you do that?"

"What should I say?"

"Whatever you'd like."

"Did you hear me?" Confusion appeared on Caleb's face that he could barely decipher with his vision still slightly blurred. "The night outside the inn you fell asleep on my shoulder. That was really nice. Whenever I need help, you're always willing to talk, which is really nice."

"That was over a month ago."

"I know. I should've talked to you sooner, but I'm a coward. I shouldn't even tell you at all. You're amazing and I'm just a coward."

"Do not be ridiculous. That's just the blood loss talking. What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Despite the dizziness, he managed to shake his head enough that Caleb would be able to understand what he was trying to do. "No point in talking about that now. You're not hurt?"

"My insides are still where they belong, so I would classify that as not hurt. The same cannot be said for you."

"As long as you're not hurt, that's what's important."

"What is important right now is getting you healing." Nervous eyes flicked up to check the surrounding area, then focused on him once more. "Just a little longer, they will be here soon. Keep talking."

"You don't gotta humor me."

"I am not humoring you. We have not gone through all the shit we've been through for you to die to some mutated monster that got a lucky hit on you."

"Because you said so?"

"Yes, because I said so."

"Wouldn't want to disappoint you. Last thing I want to do."

After nervously biting his lip, Caleb brought up a blood covered hand to gently cup Fjord's cheek with a soft smile. "That will not happen. I can promise you that."

"That's a nice promise. Don't think I can stay awake much longer."

"That is not an option. You will stay awake or I will make you."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I'll think of something."

"You always do." Despite trying his hardest to keep his eyes open, his heavy lids slipped shut as he gave into the numbness of his body. "Should've had the guts to tell you sooner. Seems like the only time I'm not good with words is when it matters the most."

"Open your eyes, Fjord. If you do that, I can give you some advice that might help with that. I don't know if you noticed but expressing myself doesn't come naturally to me."

"Blackmailing a dying man? I wouldn't believe it if I didn't hear it for myself. And for the record, you're too charismatic for your own good when you want to be."

"Incentive would be more accurate than blackmail."

"They're practically the same thing."

A gentle slap against the side of his face snapped his eyes open to glare at the man peering down at him. "You are not thinking very clearly, so I'll let that slip this one time."

"Good to know I'm worth an exception."

"Well, correcting you wouldn't do any good. I doubt you'll remember much of this conversation."

"I'll do my best."

"You tend to."

"I appreciate the compliment. Make sure I remember to return the favor."

"It's unlikely I'll need to do that. Even if you forget, you're kind with your compliments."

"You deserve it. One day, I'll make sure you never forget that."

"I'm holding you to that promise." After flicking his eyes up, a relieved smile brightened Caleb's face. "Cad! Over here! See, you are going to be fine, Fjord. They are here to help."

* * *

**+1**

It took all his self-control to stop his fingers from twitching up to tug at the tie that felt like it was strangling him. The last thing he wanted to do was anger Nott by ruining the work she put into doing his tie. When he mentioned how tight it felt, she had glared at him until Fjord put his hands up in surrender. Instead of pulling away once she finished, Nott forced him to dip his head down to let her mess with his hair. He still wasn't sure why Nott made such a fuss about his appearance, but he didn't want to piss her off.

"For once, you look almost as uncomfortable as I am." Beau leaned casually against the pillar next to him as her eyes scanned the room for any potential threat. "Do you plan to brood in the corner all night or are you going to join the rest of the party at some point? You're good at talking to people. That's what these things are all about. Rubbing elbows and shit."

"Funnily enough, I didn't spend a lot of time at high society parties working as a sailor. This isn't exactly my element."

"Just be careful when talking to people. A lot of them are likely to smile at you now, then stab you in the back later. As long as you remember that, you'll be fine."

"Thanks for the advice. I definitely feel more confident."

"Good because I've seen at least three groups of people looking over here sizing you up for a dance."

His glare caused a peel of laughter from Beau that drew the attention of several people nearby. "If you get pulled into an awkward situation tonight, I'll do nothing to help you. You'll have to suffer through a terrible situation with a complete stranger."

"At least I won't spend my time staring at someone longingly from across the room. You look like a lovestruck heroine from one of Jester's smut books. Don't even try to bullshit me. Everyone knows you've got a thing for Caleb."

"And everyone knows you have a thing for Jester, but we all have the courtesy not to bring it up. So, you might want to get off that high horse because I've seen you making eyes at her all night."

"Fucking asshole."

"Takes one to know one." A playful nudge to the ribs wiped the murderous storm off her face. "Why don't you just ask her to dance? She would love that."

"I'm not really much of a dancer. That's part of the reason I hate these kinds of parties. It's got two of my least favorite things: small talk and dancing."

"Unless you're punching people in the face, I didn't think you enjoyed anything. Other than Jester's company, obviously."

"Don't be a dick. I thought we were having a moment. We were sharing our feelings and bonding over our mutual inability to flirt with people we actually give a shit about. It was a nice moment, then you opened your mouth."

"You're just looking for an excuse not to ask Jester for a dance."

"And what are you doing?"

Fjord shrugged his shoulders as he leaned against the column next to Beau. "Honestly, I'm trying to figure out if there's any hope for me. Do you know how many times I've tried to tell Caleb how I feel?"

"I mean, I didn't want to say anything, but your attempts have been pretty pathetic. After the first couple of times, I thought you would get over the nerves or whatever, then it kept happening. It's like when you see something horrible, but you can't look away."

"Thank you, Beau. I always appreciate your candid opinions."

"That's what I'm here for."

"My point was going to be that I might have kept fucking up my chances to the point I'm not sure where to go from here, but you should've learned something from that to help you with Jester."

"If you mean to not try to say something so I don't make a fool out of myself, then I did."

"No, that's not at all what I meant. Just be straight forward and don't let your insecurities cause you to get tongue tied. Ask her to dance tonight."

"Don't tell me what to do." A spark in her eyes as she gazed across the room drew his attention to the tiefling having a lively discussion with another partygoer.

"If you'd prefer to let someone else dance with her, then keep standing over here in the corner."

"That is not-"

Beau immediately straightened up at the sight of a handsome man heading to Jester with determination obvious in the set of his shoulders and wide smile. "You were saying?"

"Fuck you."

"You'll be fine."

"Better than you."

After brushing imaginary dust off her clothing, she cut through crowd to Jester with her usual lack of care for the people in her way. One particularly unlucky individual ended up with alcohol down the front of their beautiful dress. It took every ounce of his self-control to stop himself from dropping his head into his hands in embarrassment for Beau. His curiosity over how things would play out kept him focused on Beau, until she approached Jester to talk.

"Impressive work. It looks like you pushed the right buttons."

"I got a little lucky." While he wanted to keep watching, he turned his full attention to the wizard standing next to him in beautiful dark purple formal wear. "You look lovely this evening. Purple is a good color on you."

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself. Did Jester pick that out for you?"

"That obvious?"

"It's not a bad thing. She has good taste and an eye for what will look most flattering on a person."

"That's good to hear because I kinda feel like I stick out."

"You do. In a good way as always."

"Always?"

A little twitch at the corners of Caleb's lips brought a question to the tip of his tongue, but he held it back. "No need to sound so surprised. You're a rather handsome man. Not the sort that should be all alone while everyone else enjoys the party."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm no longer alone. I've got the best company in the room."

"And what do you plan to do about it?"

Heat rose to his cheeks and the tips of his ears as the smile that toyed along Caleb's lips finally took form with a shining confidence that Fjord rarely saw from the wizard. He nearly jumped when a hand wrapped around his wrist to tug him off the pillar toward the dancers in the middle of the room. Despite his confusion, the instinct of his feet to follow Caleb's lead carried him to a free spot among the slowly moving bodies. The gentle placement of Caleb's hand on his shoulder while the one on his wrist slipped to interlock their fingers and bring them up snapped him out of his trance.

"Are you sure you don't want a more experienced dancing partner?"

"Why would I do that? Now seems like a good time to have the date we have not been able to manage, yes?"

"Uh, not that I don't want to, but when did we agree to that?"

"You are very bad at asking." The hand on his shoulder dragged along it to the base of his neck and gently started to mess with his hair. "However, it did not take a genius to figure out what you meant. I thought it best to make things clear tonight."

"You're much better at this than I am."

"Not at all. You've been overthinking it. There's nothing to overthink now."

"Is that so?"

All the worries that had been gnawing at him in Caleb's presence disappeared as the press of slightly chapped lips sent a relief through him. "It is."

"I can't disagree with that logic."

"Good. I'm not in the mood to make you see sense."

"Don't worry." He brought a hand up to gentle brush a stray lock of hair that escaped Caleb's bun behind his ear. "I see perfectly."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always greatly appreciated. You can find me on Tumblr ([SociallyAwkwardFoxWriter](http://sociallyawkwardfoxwriter.tumblr.com/)).


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